roycroft



s p 1941. w. R. ROYCROFT TRAY Filed Feb. 5,

FIG. I.

INVEN TOR w. 0.. fiormof'r A TI'ORNEY Patented Sept. 30, 1941 TRAY Walter R. Boyer-cit, Ozone Park, N. Y., aseignor to Western Electric Company, Inoo rporated,

New York, N. Y., a corporation or New ork Application February 5, 1938, Serial No. 188,831

6 Claims.

apertures II. The purpose of these apertures and recesses is to receive integral lugs shown on the partitions illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.

One form of partition is or substantially inverted V-shape and indicated by numeral 24. This partition has downwardly projecting integral lugs 25 receivable in the apertures I6 of any one or all of the body members ll ior dividing each body member, in which it is dismembers together in general alignment, like side members arranged to be secured to the ends of the assembled body members and diil'erent types of partitions with which trays having one or more sections may be provided with a varied arrangement of compartments. I

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanyin drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of assembly illustrating the invention;

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of one tray section illustrating two forms oi. partitions:

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of another partition:

Fig. 4 is aperspeotive view illustrating one of the locking means between the side member and a body member, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the locking means between the body members.

Referring now to the drawing, numeral l0 designates side members which are identical in construction having vertically extending leg portions I l vmerging into outwardly flared upper portions ii, the latter portions serving to close the ends of body members l3 in assembling. The body members are substantially U-shaped in general contour having side walls It which flare outwardly to conform to the outer edges of the portions l2 oi the side members. In the bottom portion of the body members It are longitudinally extending elongated apertures l6 disposed in selected positions as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and transversely extending elongated apertures [1. Similar apertures l8 are formed in the side walls ll of the body membersbIn one of the outer edges of the side walls H are formed cutaway portions or recesses 20 positioned in general alignment with the elongated apertures l8 and in the same edge of the bottom portion of I the body members similar recesses 2! are formed,

the latter being in general alignment withthe posed, into two longitudinally extending compartments with inner walls which flare outwardly as illustrated in Fig. 1. Elongated apertures 26 are formed in the partition 24 adjacent the vertical center line of each wall and in general alignment with the elongated apertures ll of the body member in which it is disposed.

Another form of partition-is illustrated at 30 which may be used in cooperation with the partition 24 for dividing one oi the body members or tray sections into three or four compartments. The partition 30 has integral lugs 3| receivable in the apertures I8 and 28 and an integral lug 32 receivable in one of the apertures I'I. As shown in Fig. 2 the partitions 30 are identical in construction and may be inserted in place on either side of the partition 24.

The other partition shown in Fig. 3 is for separating the body members or tray sections into two laterally extending compartments and/or for separating one tray section from another. This partition, indicated at 35, extends the full width of the body member having outwardly extending end edges conforming to the side walls H with lugs 38 integral therewith and receivable in the apertures l8 while the lower edge of the partition has integral lugs 31 projecting downwardly and receivable in the apertures l1. When this partition 35 is used to separate the tray sections composed of two or more body members, the partition is positioned so that the lugs 36 will enter the recesses 20 and the lugs 31 will enter apertures formed by the recesses 2|.

The adjacent side edge of an adjoining body 7 member associated with the recesses 2| complete apertures for the lugs 31.

Disposed at spaced positions near the side edges of each body member are latch or wedge receiving loops ll'l which may be formed of separate pieces of material and secured to the body able gauge to render them somewhat flexible so that the different parts may be readily assembled yet when assembled would form a somewhat rigid structure. For securing the body members together, they may be positioned end to end, thus aligning the retaining loops 40 in adjacent pairs and in these pairs of retaining loops, as illustrated in Fig. 5, wedge shaped latches 42 may be inserted. The outer edges of the latches 42 remain parallel with respect to each other whereas the tapered inner edges bring about a locking relation between the loops 4. and the latches 42 as the latches are forced into locking positions.

A similar locklng means is employed for securing the end members ii to their respective body member with the exception that wedge shaped latches 45 are stamped out of and bent at right angles to the endmembers and positioned to be received in the loops 4!! of the bottom portion of the adjacent body members. Wedge shaped latches 48 similar to those shown at 42, but shorter in length, are used in cooperation with the latches 45. Another latching ass-7,

means is illustrated in Fig. 4 and has a latch element 41 with a tapered upper surface. This element is bent into a right angle so that the smaller endwill extend around the edge of the side member while thelarger portion extends through the adjacent loop 4|. A cooperating straight latch element 48 with a tapered lower surface may be driven in place from the left side (Fig. 4) and in so doing the element 41 will be urged to the right to force the side member into intimate engagement with the body member.

With a group of side members, body members and partitions. either a tray with a single section or a tray with several sections may be formed and each section may be formed with a single compartment or a plurality of compartments, as illustrated jn Fig. 1. If a multiple tray, as illustrated in Fig. 1, is desired, the body members are secured together by the latches 42 being forcedin place. The side members are next secured to the ends of the assembled body members by the aid of the latches 45-48 and 41-48.

The desired partitions may be'inserted in place; for example the partitions 24 and 3| may be inserted in the first body member or tray section. To insert the partitions 30, after the partition 24 has been inserted in place, the walls 14 may be flexed outwardly to allow the lugs 3| to pass downwardly until they enter the apertures i8 and 26. In a similar manner the desired number of partitions 35 may be inserted in places illustrated in Fig. 1. If it is desirable to add other tray sections to those already formed, additional body members with a'selected arrangement of partitions may, in a similar manner, be secured to either end of the multiple tray sections already formed. After such a tray hasbeen assembled, it may be revised at any time by removing and rearranging th partition or by removing any of the latches 42, 45, 46, 41 or 48 and body portions may be removed or others added, if desired. If more than one multiple tray is desired they may be disposed in stacked formation, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the side members being placed one upon another and secured in place by latches 42 inserted in the adjacent sets of retaining loops 48 pierced in the end members I 0 adjacent their upper and lower edges.

The embodiment of the invention herein disclosed is illustrative only and may be widely departed from in many ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as pointed out in and limited solely by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a tray, a selected number of body members having apertures therein, and like partitions having projections receivable in the apertures" for securing one of the partitions at the juncture of the members for separating them into tray 3 sections and for securing one of the partitions in a selected member to form compartments therein and means to secure the body members together.

2. In a tray, 9. tray member substantially U-shaped in cross section having a latch receive, 1 1

adjacent the side member and the other portion" disposed in the latch receiving element,--and:'a'

latch member cooperating with the right angle element for forcing the side member into intimate engagement with the tray member when the latch member is driven into place.

3. In a tray, substantially U-shaped traysec- 1 tions having apertures therein and recesses in edges thereof, like partitions having projections receivable in the apertures and the recesses to separate the tray sections one from another and divide the tray sections into compartments, an edge .of one tray section closing the recesses of another to hold the projections therein, and means to secure the tray sections together.

4. In a tray, a tray member having a retaining loop disposed adjacent the end thereof, a side member positioned to close the end having an aperture therein disposed in general alignment with the retaining loop and a wedge-shaped latch member disposed adjacent the aperture and receivable in'the retaining loop, and a removable latch member receivable in the aperture and retaining looprand cooperating with the first mentioned latch member to move the side member into intimate engagement with the tray member and secure the tray member and side member together.

5. A tray comprising like substantially U- shaped body members formed at ends thereof and intermediate the ends thereof for interconnection with .portions of partitions, means to secure the body members together in abutting end to end engagement with each other, and partitions similar in contour to the ends of the body members and formed for interconnection connect the body members togethenend to end,

and like partitions having portions for interconnection with the body members between their ends and at the juncture of their ends for separating the members from each other into tray sections and separating the members intocom partinents. WALTER R. ROYCROFT. 

